Luggage manufacture

ABSTRACT

Soft-side luggage of the type comprising a pair of hinged case sections or shells each having a load-bearing valance member along the peripheral edge has the shell made with a flexible edge binding strip which is formed to furnish a neat, finished interior at the area where the flexible side wall panel is connected to the section of flexible material which provides the top, end, and bottom walls, the edge binding strip also providing a bead on the exterior at the juncture of the side panel and the top, end and bottom walls. By selecting a flexible material for the side panel and for the section which provides the top, end and bottom walls, which possesses an attractive appearance on the side which will be on the interior of the shell and thereby in the completed luggage case, it is unnecessary to use a fabric to line the case.

United States Patent [191 oltzman LUGGAGE MANUFACTURE [76] Inventor: Joseph A. Holtzman, 8201 Symphony Dr., Baltimore, Md. 21208 [22] Filed: Sept. 7, 1973 [21] Appl. No: 395,040

[52] 11.8. CI 112/262, 112/419, 190/54 151 I Int. Cl. D05b 35/06, A45c 13/00 58 Field of Search 112/137, 152, 153, 262,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,969,822 l/196l Stein 190/54 X 3,203,517 8/1965 Stein 112/419 X 3,298,480 1/1967 Kish, Jr 1 190/54 3,305,052 2/1967 Kish, Jr 190/53 X 3,477,553 11/1969 Kish, Jr 190/54 X 3,675,698 7/1972 Le Goff.... 190/54 X 3,763,973 10/1973 Taylor 190/54 X I111 3,866,554 451 Feb. 18, 1975 Primary ExaminerWerner H. Schroeder Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Shapirt) and Shapiro [5 7] ABSTRACT Soft-side luggage of the type comprising a pair of hinged case sections or shells each having a loadbearing valance member along the peripheral edge has the shell made with a flexible edge binding strip which is formed to furnish a neat, finished interior at the area where the flexible side wall panel is connected to the section of flexible material which provides the top, end, and bottom walls, the edge binding strip also pro viding a bead on the exterior at. the juncture of the side panel and the top, end and bottom walls. By selecting a flexible material for the side panel and for the section which provides the top, end and bottom walls, which possesses an attractive appearance on the side which will be on the interior of the shell and thereby in the completed luggage case, it is unnecessary to use a fabric to line the case.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED E 191s SHEET 10F 3 Flt-3.2

LUGGAGE MANUFACTURE The invention relates to luggage manufacture, and is more particularly directed to improved methods for making soft-side luggage of the type comprising a pair of hinged case sections or shells, each having a loadbearing valance member along the peripheral edge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Soft-side luggage is generally of two types. One type is shown, for example, in Kish US. Pat. No. 3,305,052; Feb. 2 l, 1967. Access to the interior of the case or bag is through a zippered flap opening in the side wall. Another type is disclosed in Holtzman US. Pat. No. 3,135,366; June 2, 1964. A load-bearing valance is provided along the peripheral edge of each of a pair of case sections or shells. The shells are hinged to one another on the bottom of the case, and locks or catches together with the usual handle are provided on the top of the case. In both types, a fabric is used to line the interior of the case.

A lining has been used for two reasons. Firstly, and particularly where the luggage is intended for use by women, the lining furnishes a decorative and pleasing appearance. Secondly, and more importantly, the lining has served to mask or hide the areas where the parts or sections of the shell are connected to one another. The edges of the material which has been cut from a continuous sheet to provide the two pieces for the side wall and for the top, bottom and end walls of each shell are not entirely smooth, and the areas where they are sewn to one another have an unfinished appearance. Also, it has been practically impossible to sew the parts to one another so that the material is evenly distributed at the cornerareas where the top (also the bottom) wall which curves into the end wall is connected to the side wall having the corner radius. There are eight such corner areas in each luggage case.

One way oflining a luggage case is to use an adhesive to secure the lining in place. Practically all adhesives are less than permanent in that eventually they dry out and result in the separation of the lining from the part to which it is desired that it adhere. If mechanical means such as rivets are used to secure the lining in place, then there is the problem of the unsightly mechanical means. It will be apparent that the manufacture of soft-side luggage having an attractive interior and which eliminates the cost of a lining and the cost of installing the lining is highly desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the primary object of the invention to provide a novel method of making soft-side luggage of the type comprising a pair of hinged shells each having a valance member along the peripheral edge wherein each shell is made with an edge-binding strip which furnishes a neat, clean, finished interior at the area where the side wall panel is connected to the section which provides the top, end, and bottom walls to thereby eliminate the need, and concomitantly the expense, of installing a lining.

Luggage made in accordance with the invention comprises providing a flexible edge binding strip, a substantially flat, flexible side wall panel for connection to the strip, and a flexible wall section for connection to the strip to provide the top, ends and bottom walls of a luggage shell. In cross-section, the binding strip has a substantially U-shaped portion which provides an outer arm and an inner arm connected by a base. The outer arm has a bead at the end thereof opposite the base, and the bead provides a shoulder extending from the outer side of the outer arm. In assembling the edge binding strip, the substantially flat side wall panel, and the wall section which provides the top, end, and bottom walls, the side wall panel is positioned in the U- shaped portion and, while the side wall panel is maintained in substantially flat condition, the edge thereof is pushed or urged against the base: while or as a line of stitching is passed through the arms and the intermediate portion of the side wall panel. This sewing operation results in a sub-assembly comprising the side wall panel having the edge binding strip around the entire periphery or edge thereof. Then, one edge of the wall section is positioned against the shoulder provided by the bead and a line of stitching is passed through the aforesaid sub-assembly and the wall section to furnish an assembly which is in readiness for connection to a valance member at the opposite or free edge of the wall section.

The flexible edge binding strip is made by extruding a suitable plastic composition. The extrusion is furnished to the luggage manufacturer in the form of a continuous strip and is sewn or cut to a predetermined length and sewn around the perimeter of the side wall panel in the first sewing operation, as above-described. The strip has smooth edges throughout. Thus, the aforementioned inner arm which overlies the adjacent portion ofthe side wall panel, furnishes a finished, neat, and clean appearance on the interior of the completed case.

By selecting a flexible material which may simulate leather of a desired color on the exterior of the finished case, and which has a pleasing, attractive appearance on the opposite side, a luggage case may be made in accordance with the method of the invention which obviates or eliminates the need for a lining.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a luggage case made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a sub-assembly comprising the side wall panel having the edge binding strip sewn thereto, this view showing the side of the sub-assembly which will ultimately be located on the interior of the case;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately in the plane of line 33 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship of the parts as the wall section which provides the top, ends and bottom walls is being sewn to the sub assembly illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a shell in readiness for connection to a valance member; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken approximately in the plane of line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a soft-side luggage case made in accordance with the invention comprises a pair of case sections or shells A and B each having a load-bearing valance member along the peripheral edge for interfltting engagement. In the luggage case illustrated, only one valance member is visible. As it is well known in the art, the shells A and B are hinged to one another on their bottom sides (not shown), and the case may be provided with a pair of catches or locks 12, and a handle 14 is secured to one of the shells.

The invention resides in a method for making the shells preparatory to securing the valance members 10 to their peripheral edges. To accomplish this purpose, three elements are used: a flexible edge binding strip C, a substantially flat, flexible side wall panel D; and a flexible wall section E, the last-mentioned serving to provide the top 16, the ends 18, and the bottom wall for each of the shells A and B. Where, as illustrated, the case is made so that the shell B is in the form of a lid and therefore not as deep as the shell A, the wall section, designated E, is of a lesser width than the wall section B. Otherwise, the three elements for each shell are identical.

The flexible edge binding strip C is made by extruding a suitable plastic composition, for example, a vinyl chloride polymer, a copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polymer (ABS), polyethylene, or the like. The extrusion is received in coils and is of a continuous length. It is cut to a predetermined length equal to the dimension of the substantially flat side wall panel D at its perimeter.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, the edge binding strip C, in cross-section, has a substantially U-shaped portion providing an outer arm 22 and an inner arm 24 connected by a base 26. It will be understood that the words outer and inner to distinguish one arm from the other are arbitrary terms which have been selected only because the arm 24 is located on the inside in the final product and the arm 22, though it is covered by the wall section E, is on the outside with respect to the other arm. These terms are therefore intended for the purpose of orientation, and not by way of limitation.

The outer arm 22 has a bead 28 providing a shoulder 30 which extends from the outer side 32 of the outer arm. In the illustrated and preferred embodiment of the invention, a return lip 34 is provided on the bead, the lip being spaced from the side 32 of the outer arm a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the wall section E which it is adapted to receive. Also, the bead is formed to provide a second shoulder 36 to extend from the inner side 38 of the outer arm. The inner arm 24 has a length less than the outer arm 22 and terminates in a smooth, rounded edge 40. The distance between the end or edge 40 of the inner arm and the outer edge 42 of the shoulder 36 allows the side wall panel D to extend therebetween and facilitates the side panel assuming a right angle with respect to the arms of the binding strip and of the top, end and bottom walls in the finished shell after the assembly of the parts which will be subsequently described.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the flat side wall panel D is generally rectangular and has a radius or curvature at each end of its corners 44. The side wall panel is made from plastic sheeting such as a suitable synthetic resin compound which may be reinforced with a woven or unwoven fabric. The resin compound may be a vinyl composition such as a vinyl chloride polymer, a copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate or an ABS compound of a suitable color or colors. As known in the art, such material is made to simulate leather on the surface which will furnish the exterior of the luggage case. Flexible sheeting is selected which also furnishes an attractive surface on the opposite side, or the side which will be visible on the interior of the completed luggage case. The same material is used for the wall section E, also wall section E, which provides the top 16, end 18, and bottom walls 20 of each of the shells A and B. If desired, the material used for the side wall panels D and for the wall sections E and E may be a water repellant fabric having a decorative design on one, and preferably on both sides.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the side wall panel D which is die cut or otherwise made to predetermined dimensions, and the flexible edge binding strip C, preferably of a predetermined length equal to the dimension of the side wall panel at its perimeter, are sewn to one another. The sewing machine operator pushes the edge of the side wall panel D between the arms 22, 24 of the U-shaped portion of the binding strip, and as the parts are being sewn together the peripheral edge 46 of the substantially flat side wall panel is urged or pushed against the base 26 of the strip. This sewing operation results in a line of stitching 48 passing through the arms 22 and 24 of the binding strip and through the adjoining intermediate portion of the side wall panel.

During the sewing operation, the base 26 of the U- shaped portion furnishes a surface against which the operator may push the edge 46 of the side wall panel D. The support provided by the surface 26 is particularly advantageous when sewing around the corner areas 44 of the panel. The flexible, binding strip stretches uniformly as the sewing proceeds around each of the corners, in contra-distinction to the uneven distribution of material which occurs when one sews the same kind of material on a curve but without the aid of the support provided by the base 26. The strip material and the panel material are smooth and uniformly distributed; a molded effect is achieved at the curved corners of the side wall panel.

The sub-assembly as shown in FIG. 2 is then sewn to the wall section E to furnish the top, end, and bottom walls of the luggage shell. As shown in FIG. 4, this is accomplished by pushing an edge 50 of the wall section E against the shoulder 30 provided by the bead 28 as the parts are sewn to one another. As previously indicated, the wall section fits into the recess provided by the return lip 34, the shoulder 30 and the adjacent portion of the outer arm 22. A line of stitching 52 which may be a chain stitch is extended through the adjoining portion of the sub-assembly and of the wall section to complete the assembly as shown in FIG. 5, which now is in readiness for the attachment of a valance member to the free edge 54 of the wall section. A rivet 56 may be extended through the overlapping ends of the wall section E, these ends being located for positioning at the bottom in the finished case.

The valance members which are connected to the described shells may be of any desired configuration at their front inter-fitting portions. Preferably, the valance members are constructed in their rearwardly extending web areas as disclosed in the aforementioned Holtzman US. Pat. No. 3,135,366.

The sewing operations are accomplished on a machine which is commonly used to sew luggage leather; for example, a machine made by Puritan Manufacturing Company of Boston, Massachusetts. A sewing machine of this well-known type furnishes a chain or lock stitch, and may utilize an awl in conjunction with the sewing needle. The same machine may be used to sew the valance members to the described assemblies of side wall panel D, wall section E, and edge binding C.

It is believed that the advantages and improved results furnished by the methods of the invention will be apparent from the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment thereof. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of making luggage comprising providing a flexible edge binding strip, a flexible, substantially flat side wall panel for connection to the strip, the side wall panel being generally rectangular and having a radius at each of its corners, and a flexible wall section for connection to the strip to provide the top, end and bottom walls of a luggage shell, the binding strip having in cross-section a substantially U-shaped portion providing an outer arm and an inner arm connected by a base, the outer arm having a bead at the end thereof opposite the base, the bead providing a shoulder extending from the outer side of the outer arm, positioning the side wall panel in the U-shaped portion and, while maintaining the side wall panel in substantially flat condition, urging the edge of the panel against said base while sewing through the arms and the intermediate side wall panel to provide a sub-assembly of the side wall panel having the edge binding strip around the edge thereof, and positioning the edge of said wall section against said shoulder and sewing through the adjoining portion of the aforesaid sub-assembly and the'wall section.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein a return lip is provided on the bead, the lip being spaced from the outer arm a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the wall section which is positioned within the recess provided by the return lip, shoulder, and adjacent portion of the outer arm.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the bead is formed to provide a second shoulder to extend from the inner side of the outer arm, the inner arm having a length less than the outer arm, the distance between the end of the inner arm and the outer edge of the second shoulder serving to allow the side wall panel to extend therethrough and to facilitate the side wall panel assuming a right angle with respect to the arms of the binding strip and of the top, end and bottom walls.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the end of the inner arm is smooth and rounded. 

1. A method of making luggage comprising providing a flexible edge binding strip, a flexible, substantially flat side wall panel foR connection to the strip, the side wall panel being generally rectangular and having a radius at each of its corners, and a flexible wall section for connection to the strip to provide the top, end and bottom walls of a luggage shell, the binding strip having in cross-section a substantially U-shaped portion providing an outer arm and an inner arm connected by a base, the outer arm having a bead at the end thereof opposite the base, the bead providing a shoulder extending from the outer side of the outer arm, positioning the side wall panel in the U-shaped portion and, while maintaining the side wall panel in substantially flat condition, urging the edge of the panel against said base while sewing through the arms and the intermediate side wall panel to provide a sub-assembly of the side wall panel having the edge binding strip around the edge thereof, and positioning the edge of said wall section against said shoulder and sewing through the adjoining portion of the aforesaid sub-assembly and the wall section.
 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein a return lip is provided on the bead, the lip being spaced from the outer arm a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the wall section which is positioned within the recess provided by the return lip, shoulder, and adjacent portion of the outer arm.
 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the bead is formed to provide a second shoulder to extend from the inner side of the outer arm, the inner arm having a length less than the outer arm, the distance between the end of the inner arm and the outer edge of the second shoulder serving to allow the side wall panel to extend therethrough and to facilitate the side wall panel assuming a right angle with respect to the arms of the binding strip and of the top, end and bottom walls.
 4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the end of the inner arm is smooth and rounded. 